All of us at one time or another have owned a automobile that was a real lemon!
The car may have been shiny, stylish and totally cool-looking....the only problem was it was a piece of crap.
REPAIR after repair after repair in a never ending spiral of maintenance kept it in the shop more than it was on the road!
You may have really loved that car--it might have been a classic---but--it proved to be totally useless for basic transportation because:
IT COULD NOT GET YOU WHERE YOU WANTED TO GO!
That, my friends, is the religion known as Jehovah's Witnesses!
The engine which drives this tour bus to Heavenly paradise keeps breaking down by the side of the road and the passengers have to get out and wait for the repairs.
All the while the Tour Guide and the company provide glowing reassurances you are IN GOOD HANDS and the arrival will well be worth the trip!
How many times can a motor, transmission, tires and drive train be replaced before you reach the inescapable conclusion YOU ARE NEVER GOING TO GET TO YOUR DESTINATION??
Pastor Charles Taze Russell used very specific language in his writings about the destination and arrival time for Armageddon and the 1,000 year reign's beginning.
"God's dates--not ours!" the passengers were assured in no uncertain terms. 1914 was the end! Jesus had already arrived in 1874 and was now ready to slay his enemies and reward his followers with Paradise!
But, the bus broke down in WWI and repairs began along with new assurances given.
1914 changed from the End to the Beginning of the End. REPAIR ACCOMPLISHED!
The passengers got back on the bus and the new motor started up and off they went.
The bus driver died at the wheel in 1916 and another driver hijacked the bus!
Judge J.F.Rutherford convinced the passengers the destination was still the same and they were in good hands if they stayed on while he took them for a ride!
Pastor Russell was guiding the bus by remote control (from heaven!) and the Great Pyramid gave factual assurance the date of Christ's return was correct!
But, the busdriver and his crew of mechanics were arrested and thrown in prison! They were tried in court under the Espionage Act!
Everybody out of the bus!!
Time for repairs again!
1918 brings the news that the ancient Patriarchs will be resurrected by 1925!
1920 the charges are dropped and the bus gets back on the road. But, 1 out of every 7 passengers has left to find another means of transportation in disgust!
REPAIRS ARE MADE, assurances given--off they go.......
Except- frequent stops are made so that the passengers can go door to door to sell householders on the idea of replacing the ones who left.
1925 comes and goes--BREAKDOWN! Everybody out of the bus!!
The busdriver admits he "made an ass" of himself. He decides the Great Pyramid is a load of crap that Satan thought it up in the first place.
New assurances are given--everybody back on the bus. (Well, not everybody....)
1932 the happy International Bible Student bus-trip to Heavenly Paradise becomes the JEHOVAH'S WITNESS TOUR-bus, instead.
The driver pulls over to the side of the road and makes a startling announcement: NOT ALL PASSENGERS will arrive in Heavenly Paradise after all!
Only a few---a VERY few. MOST OF YOU will stay right here in an Earthly paradise!"
Back on the road....
1933 the driver finally admits 1914 was NOT Armageddon--just the, um, New beginning date of Christ's arrival. Forget what you were told by that other guy. Jesus did NOT arrive in 1874! This is an IMPROVEMENT and not a contradiction!
By 1935, all new passengers only get to go to Earth and not heaven!
Along the road, passengers are instructed NOT to observe any of the local customs such as flag salute, singing the National Anthem, celebrating Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving. In short--make yourselves as obnoxious as possible---and don't forget to tell them THEY ARE GOING TO DIE!
Passengers report dizziness, anxiety, confusion and restlessness as the changes, repairs, sidelines and such come and go with regularity.
DOCTRINE | FIRST | SECOND | THIRD | FOURTH |
Will Sodom be resurrected? | Yes: 1879-1951 | No: 1952-1964 | Yes 1965-1988 | No: 1988 |
Identity of the “Superior authorities” of Romans 13:1 | Human Government: 1879-1929 | Jehovah and JesusChrist: 1929-1962 | Human Government: 1963-present | |
Identity of the “Faithful and Wise servant” of Matt. 24 | A class of people: 1879-1897 | An individual: 1897-1928 | A class of people: 1929-present | |
Michael the Archangel | Not Jesus: 1879 | Is the Pope: 1917 | Is Jesus: 1920-Present | |
Should Jesus be “worshipped”? | Yes: 1879-1953 | No: 1954-present | ||
Jesus referred to what when he said “this is my body”? | The church: 1953-1955 | His body of flesh: 1956-present | ||
Date for the Beginning of Christ’s “invisible” presence | In 1874: 1879-1929 | In 1914: 1929-present | ||
Jesus died on a cross or a torture stake? | Cross: 1879-1935 | Torture stake: 1936-present | ||
Are Organ Transplants permissible for Jehovah’s Witnesses | No cannibalism 1967 – 1979 | Yes:1980- present | ||
Celebrating Christmas and birthdays | Yes: 1879-1926 | No: 1927-present | ||
Supporting War and Politics | Yes: 1879-1935 | No: 1936-present | ||
Great Pyramid in Egypt | God’s Witness: 1879 –1927 | Satan’s Bible: 1928– Present |
The Road trip continues as passengers get off and get on and the trip never ends.
With one breakdown after another and one explanation making the old one redundant and suspiciously corrupt the only possible conclusion should be: THIS BUS IS A LEMON and THIS TRIP IS GOING NOWHERE BUT CIRCLES!
And yet: how many people do you know who are still riding and hoping and riding and hoping and riding and hoping.......???